Fight or Flight

THERAPYSM

Anxiety

Instead of a real threat or challenge occurring in the present, anxiety is a heightened stress response to something anticipated in the future. It's a worry, dread or foreboding of something that could happen, but hasn't. It's your imagination or physiology triggering preparedness and vigilance for something that has yet to, and may never, occur.

Anticipatory stress

You can think of anxiety as anticipatory stress. And, based on your situation, you may be anxious for good reason. As such, it's a healthy heightened vigilance attempting to maintain safety and survival.

But when you can't turn it off, your nervous system is on constant alert. Despite the lack of an immediate danger, your fight-or-flight response is turned on to a palpably uncomfortable level. Your heart may race, you may have difficulty breathing, chest pains, trouble thinking clearly, excessive sweating or just feel shaky or out of control. It's like a constant fire alarm going off, but there is no fire. It's just in anticipation that there could be a fire.

Unfortunately, as we stated in our discussion on stress, the National Institutes of Health and others warn, it's this heightened physiological state that over time leads to many of the chronic stress-related diseases so common today.

Stress is stress

The bottom line is that whether the stressor is real or imagined, it's still the same stress response. It's still your fight-or-flight response recruiting your resources to ensure your survival. Unfortunately, being stuck in fight-or-flight can trigger a myriad of symptoms, including anxiety, that lessen your ability to function and your quality of life.

Fight or Flight Therapy is like a tune up for your nervous system. It permanently resets your nervous system to a calmer place, making you more relaxed, less stressed, and less anxious.

And there's more…

Simply by shifting you out of your chronic contracted survival state, Fight or Flight Therapy often allows you to see your life and your world with a new, more open, perspective. Suddenly you find more options and opportunities available to you, lessening the need for worry or anticipating the worst.

Here's how Fight or Flight Therapy helped this person with diagnosed General Anxiety Disorder:

Testimonial

General Anxiety Disorder

When I was diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder I didn't even know such a thing existed.

I was in my late thirties and had been living with anxiety ever since childhood, and apparently coping fairly well. I had even weathered the stresses and responsibilities of having babies while climbing to the executive level of the corporate ladder. It wasn't until major life changes came up that the walls came tumbling down.

We had welcomed the opportunity to move out of state, but the actual move proved very stressful and took a toll on my stability. Then, a Thanksgiving road trip through blizzard conditions was the straw that broke the camel's back. On that trip we witnessed over 50 horrible car accidents and my fight-or-flight reflex declared a state of emergency.

At that point managing my every day responsibilities was a struggle. I was losing confidence rapidly. Even my bodily functions were on strike. I was suffering from mal-absorption, abdominal pain, extreme weakness, constant vertigo, crippling nausea and constant panic attacks. What I needed was a total body reboot. My MD recommended Dr. Stuart Tessler's program as a possible solution.

When I began treatment with Dr. Tessler I was at my lowest point. I couldn't drive, any type of change was unbearable, I couldn't sleep, I could hardly eat and I couldn't be alone. I could no longer care for my family let alone my self. It was horrible. I also had trouble tolerating anything moving within my visual field, so most everything I saw bothered me. Even the initial evaluation at Dr. Tessler's gave me motion sickness but I was determined to see it through.

After the first week of light treatments I called Dr. Tessler to share with him the major changes

I was already feeling. I was sleeping better, had more appetite, was less emotional and began to feel my sense of control returning. All this after just one week of the Fight or Flight Therapy!

I had not expected to have such high impact results so quickly. I eagerly continued with the treatments although it was difficult to be consistent.

After three weeks of treatments I had more endurance, was able to eat out at restaurants, slept better and was able to read with less nausea. I also had more success with driving. I no longer had to relive the fears of past car accidents every time I went somewhere in the car.

Successive treatments continued delivering results that allowed me to reach normal functionality. My talk therapy progressed quickly, my digestive system came back on line, the dizziness went away and my strength continued to improve.

Reflecting back on the whole experience, I feel so grateful to have Dr. Tessler and his program in my corner. He provided me with the tools to heal and get back on my feet when it seemed nothing else would help. Not only did the treatment restore me to my normal functioning self, but it enabled me to be brave and try new things.

I'm proud to say about a year after I finished the treatment I was able to join my family riding zip lines through the Mexican jungle while on vacation. Without Dr. Tessler's Fight or Flight Therapy, that would've been unimaginable.

Thank you Dr. T!

40 year old IT executive

The Fight or Flight Questionnaire

Is Flight or Flight Therapy right for you?

These area a sampling of symptoms common to people stuck in fight or flight.

How many symptoms do you have?

You might be surprised, or maybe you will confirm what you already suspect.